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Introduction and Aims: We aimed to: (i) investigate sexual behaviours, substance use, HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STI) prevalence among a population of men who have sex with men (MSM) in Taiwan; and (ii) examine the moderating effects of substance use in the relationship of sexual behaviours and HIV and STI diagnosis.Design and Methods: We used the Taiwan 2013 Internet MSM Sex Survey conducted cross-sectionally online. We examined the association between sexual behaviours and HIV and STIs using logistic regression models. We then assessed the moderating effects of substance use between specific sexual behaviours and HIV and STI using interaction term.Results: Among the 2020 MSM participants, 5.5% of them had reported having been diagnosed with HIV and 7.4% with STIs. Reporting having a sex partner found online, having unprotected anal sex with a casual male partner, alcohol and illicit drug use were all significantly associated with HIV and STI diagnosis. Those reporting having sex with partners found via mobile apps were more likely to report being HIV positive as a function of illicit drug use. A similar finding was evident for STIs. Interestingly, alcohol had no moderating effects in similar analyses.Discussion and Conclusions: This study sheds light on future development of interventions that target at mobile apps which better integrate drug prevention and HIV prevention programs for the MSM population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: Ketamine has become a new recreational drug of choice among young people in parts of Asia. Using national databases in Taiwan, this study aimed to (1) examine the yearly trend in the ketamine offence rate over time; (2) estimate the 3‐year risk of drug‐related re‐offence and its correlates among the first‐time offenders; and (3) estimate the 3‐year standardized mortality ratio (SMR) among the first‐time offenders. Design, Setting and Participants: Retrospective cohort studies of offenders for recreational ketamine use in a penalty system initiated in 2009. Offenders for recreational ketamine use were identified from the Administrative Penalty System for Schedule III/IV Substances database from 2009 to 2017, and the re‐offence rate and mortality among first‐time offenders were assessed via record‐linkage within the database as well as with both the criminal drug offence database and the national mortality database. The cohort from 2009 to 2016 (n = 39 178) was used for the recidivism analysis and the cohort from 2009 to 2013 (n = 25 357) was used for the 3‐year SMR analysis. Measurements Recidivism was estimated using survival analysis of the event as re‐arrest for using ketamine, more serious illicit drugs (Schedules I/II), or any illicit drugs (ketamine or Schedules I/II). SMRs were estimated for overall and cause‐specific death within 3 years after the first offence for ketamine use. Findings The age‐standardized rates for both prevalent (1.38 per 1000) and first‐time offenders (0.65 per 1000) peaked in 2013 and then decreased steadily. The 3‐year risk of re‐offence was 33.85% [95% confidence interval (CI) = 33.23–34.47%) for ketamine use and 39.52% (95% CI = 39.00–40.04%) for any illicit drug use. These first‐time offenders had an SMR of 4.9 (95% CI = 4.3–5.4) for overall mortality, 2.1 (95% CI = 1.6–2.7) for natural deaths and 7.6 (95% CI = 6.7–8.6) for unnatural deaths. Conclusions: Recreational ketamine use in Taiwan appears to lead not only to high risk for drug‐related re‐offence but also to excess mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the feature sizes of devices decrease to the nanoscale, electron microscopy and lithography will become increasingly essential techniques for fabrication and inspection. In this study, we probed the memory effects of MoS2 field-effect transistors (FETs) subjected to electron beam (e-beam) irradiation; after fabricating the devices on 300 nm SiO2/Si substrates, we irradiated the MoS2 FETs with various doses of irradiation from a 30 kV e-beam. The threshold voltage shifted to the negative side and the mobility increased―a so-called memory effect―upon increasing the e-beam dose. These changes resulted from positively charged oxide traps, formed upon e-beam irradiation, in the gate oxide layer. Interestingly, the electrical characteristics of the MoS2 FETs after e-beam irradiation continued to change upon aging: the threshold voltage shifted toward the positive side and the mobility decreased, suggesting that the dominant mechanism changed from the presence of positively charged oxide traps to the presence of negatively charged interface traps. Notably, the threshold voltage shifts of the MoS2 FETs could be retained for one or two days. This behavior should be useful for preparing property-adjustable nanodevices, with particular potential for applications in multi-level memory devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Administering premixed drugs in commodity packets was first reported in Asia in 2015, but there continues to be a dearth of related population-based data. This study aimed at examining (1) the prevalence of drug-packet use in the population and (2) the sociodemographic profiles, particularly gender distribution, of drug-packet users., Methods: Data were derived from a survey of 18,626 Taiwanese civilians, aged 12-64 years, using stratified, multi-stage, random sampling in 2018. Participants anonymously completed a computer-assisted self-interview on tablet computers which covered the use and problematic use of illicit drugs/inhalants, prescription drugs, and other psychoactive substances., Results: Approximately 1.46% of respondents had a lifetime use of illicit drugs, with drugs in commodity packets (0.18%) being ranked the fifth-most commonly used illicit drugs, higher than nitrous oxide (0.14%) and heroin (0.09%). Ten formats of drug packets were endorsed by users. Approximately 81.6% of persons with drug packet use had lifetime use of other illicit drugs. The correlates of the use of drugs in commodity packets were different from those of the exclusive use of other drugs, particularly concerning the lack of gender differences in the former category in the whole sample and the subgroups of various sociodemographic characteristics and other substance use., Conclusion: Drugs in commodity packets have become a common way of administering illicit drugs in the population in Taiwan, and there were no gender differences among users. Our findings have implications for more efficient drug testing and culturally appropriate intervention for drug-packet use.

As the feature sizes of devices decrease to the nanoscale, electron microscopy and lithography will become increasingly essential techniques for fabrication and inspection. In this study, we probed the memory effects of MoS2 field-effect transistors (FETs) subjected to electron beam (e-beam) irradiation; after fabricating the devices on 300 nm SiO2/Si substrates, we irradiated the MoS2 FETs with various doses of irradiation from a 30 kV e-beam. The threshold voltage shifted to the negative side and the mobility increased-a so-called memory effect-upon increasing the e-beam dose. These changes resulted from positively charged oxide traps, formed upon e-beam irradiation, in the gate oxide layer. Interestingly, the electrical characteristics of the MoS2 FETs after e-beam irradiation continued to change upon aging: the threshold voltage shifted toward the positive side and the mobility decreased, suggesting that the dominant mechanism changed from the presence of positively charged oxide traps to the presence of negatively charged interface traps. Notably, the threshold voltage shifts of the MoS2 FETs could be retained for one or two days. This behavior should be useful for preparing property-adjustable nanodevices, with particular potential for applications in multi-level memory devices.